Best Brands of Protein Bar

Protein bars are available in dozens of brands but which is the best? How do you choose the best protein bar? A protein bar is only as healthy as it's list of ingredients so begin by reading the label. Check the grams of sugar, fiber and protein. For more information on reading protein bar labels, visit my website, Path2HealthyLiving.com. There I list exactly what you want to include in a protein bar and which ingredients to avoid.

Here are the best protein bars, which passed the label reading, ingredient test:

Zero Impact Pro Pumpkin Bar, 12 bar. Zero Impact offer sugars with a minimal impact on blood sugars, qualtiy protein and essential fats, plus CLA which helps reduce body fat, especially unwanted belly fat.

Supreme Protein-Carb Conscious Quadruple Layer Protein Bar. This great tasting protein bar offers 30 gms of high quality whey protein, plus flax seed oil, vitamins and minerals and no fat.

Worldwide Sport Nutrition Pure Protein Protein Revolution High Protein Triple Layer Bar, Chocolate Peanut Caramel. The Worldwide sport Pure Protein Bar offers 31 gms of protein, 3 gms of sugar and zero trans fats (unwanted hydrogentated oils).

Power Crunch Triple Chocolate. This quality protein bar contains whey protein which absorbs quickly, added minerals and only 200 calories.

All of these delicious protein bars contain quality ingredients to help you lose or maintain your weight and they come in many flavors to fit every taste.

For more information on high protein diets, protein and weightloss visit WebMD

For more healthy weightloss tips, visit my website Path2HealthyLiving.com

Healthy Recipes - Low Fat Blueberry Pancake

Low Fat Blueberry Pancake

Think you can’t lose weight while still enjoying a luscious pancake for breakfast? This low fat version of the

traditional blueberry pancake recipe gives the added nutrition of whole grain fiber, which keeps you filled up.

Ingredients for blueberry pancakes
¼ c whole wheat flour
¼ c all-purpose flour
¼ c rolled oats
¼ c cornmeal
1 tbs honey
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 egg whites
2 tbs plain nonfat yogurt
2 tbs skim milk
2 tbs water
¾ c blueberries
Directions

Preheat oven 200 F. degrees.

Mix wheat and all-purpose flour and blend with oats, cornmeal, honey, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together eggs, yogurt, milk and water, then fold in blueberries.
Slowly add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix only until just moistened.

Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium high.

Pour batter into skillet, using about 1/3 c of batter for each blueberry pancake. Brown on both sides and make sure middle is cooked before taking from heat.

If your blueberry pancake browns too quickly, turn heat down.

Recommended Product by Kitchen Universe - All-Clad Stainless Fry Pan 10-in

As you cook each pancake, add it to a baking dish, cover with foil and place in warmed oven until ready to serve.

Instead of sugary syrup, try topping these blueberry pancakes with sugar-free syrup or blueberry low-fat or fat free yogurt.
Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Information per serving

Calories 134
Fat 0.7g
Sodium 547mg
Carbohydrates 24.5g
Fiber 3.25g
Protein 6g

Lighten Up - New Weightloss Book by Loretta LaRoche

Lighten Up - The Authentic and Fun Way to Lose Your Weight and Your Worries

I loved Loretta LaRoche's humorous books on stress busting. She has several DVDs out as well. Now she has a new weightloss book called Lighten Up - The Authentic and Fun Way to Lose Your Weight and Your Worries

In this terrific weightloss book, she imparts the wisdom she's gathered from "having gained and lost a tribe of people."

LaRoche also shares her expertise as an international stress consultant, former aerobics instructor, and owner of a wellness center. She offers 8 surprising secrets for reducing weight and stress as she leads you down the path of learning to eat well, move with joy, and live a more balanced life.

Her greatest promise is that you will get into shape . . . and have fun while you're doing it! I always love weightloss books which offer sensible, healthy plans for losing those pounds - which most often includes a healthy living plan and not a short term "diet."

Hay House Publishing House also recently announced new, lower shipping rates to help save you money.

Other Books by Loretta LaRoche:

Life Is Short, Wear Your Party Pants

Relax - You May Only Have a Few Minutes Left: Using the Power of Humor to Overcome Stress in Your Life and Work

How to Be A Wild, Wise, and Witty Woman 4-CD: Making the Most Out of Life Before You Run Out of It

Squeeze the Day: 365 Ways to Bring Joy and Juice Into Your Life

The Best of Loretta LaRoche

Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal: Bringing Yesterday's Sane Wisdom Into Today's Insane World

The Joy of Stress with Loretta LaRoche

Healthy Weightloss Tips Video

Here's an inspiration weightloss video from Gaiam.com with some simple weightloss tips. It only takes a minute to watch. Gaiam also offers articles, forums and a supportive community for yoga, meditation, fitness and more.

Healthy weightloss should be more about a lifestyle change than going on a "diet." If you're dieting, it implies eating a certain way is a temporary thing. When you're done with the diet, you back to your old eating habits. This isn't the way to permanent weight loss.

If you think about eating healthy, more fruits and veggies, lean meat proteins, smaller portions, cutting out unhealthy fats and sugars - these should be permanent changes, not short term. That's not to say you can't have an occasional piece of chocolate cake or eat a huge meal at Thanksgiving, but overall, healthy weightloss means a change in lifestyle.

You CAN do it! Make healthy eating fun. Try new recipes, learn to use herbs and spices to make foods more delicious, visit your local farmer's market to see what delicious fruits and veggies you can incorporate into your meals. Your body will love you for it and your weight will just naturally stay where it should be with little extra effort from you.

Try these healthy weightloss tips from Gaiam.com and see how easy it can be.

Check out Gaiam’s Fitness Center and save 10% off $75, 15% off $100 and 20% off $125

What are Proper Food Portions for Maintaining Weight

Putting the proper size food portions onto your plate for each meal is key to maintaining or losing weight. What does the proper portion size of food look like? To give you visual comparisons for suitable serving sizes, eDiets.com
Nutrition Specialist Renee Brunetti, LD/N, Put together this visual aid to choosing proper food portions.

Visual examples of different size food portions:

• 1 medium fruit -- tennis ball or tight fist
• 1/2 cup of fruit, veggie, cooked cereal, rice or pasta -- cupcake or tight fist
• 1 cup of raw salad -- the amount you can hold in two hands cupped together.
• 1 medium baked potato -- computer mouse
• 1 cup of cold cereal -- large handful or tight fist
• 1-ounce bagel -- a yo-yo
• 3 oz of meat, poultry or fish -- palm of a woman's hand or deck of cards
• 1 ounce of cheese -- 4 dice or the top half of your thumb
• 3 1/2 ounces of tofu -- 4 ice cubes
• 1 ounce of meat, fish, chicken or poultry -- 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon -- the tip of a medium-framed woman's thumb (also, 3 tsp is equal to 1 tbs)
  

These food portion sizes expand with cooking:

• 1 ounce of pasta will cook up to about 2 ounces, which is equivalent to 1/4 cup. Pasta doubles in volume.
• 2 tablespoons of rice cook up to about 6 tablespoons, or about 1/3 cup. Rice triples in volume.

Using this guide to proper food portion size will ensure that you aren't eating too much.

One great weightloss tips for making it seem like you have more food is to use a smaller plate to put it on. Use a small place and pile it high with the servings above. You'll have no trouble maintaining your weight or losing, if that is your goal.